Pistachio-Almond and Wild Blueberry Bars

Photograph. Copyright Sandra Gutierrez 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Today I was bitten by the baking bug. And I've enjoyed its seductive sting all day long. I woke up this morning with a clear craving for something sweet and nutty to go along with a hot and steamy cup of coffee. Facing a pantry filled with lots of baking supplies makes it so much fun to bake on a whim. I always keep yeast, different kinds of flour, grains, dried fruits and nuts in my pantry at all times. That way, whenever the urge for a delicious and rustic baked goodie hits me or my family, all I have to do is reach into my baking chest and go with it.

This morning it was all a matter of deciding how long I was willing to wait before I could eat what I baked. I decided that baking bread and waiting for the dough to rise was not going to happen today. Don't misunderstand me, baking bread is one of my most favorite things to do; watching the first rise of the dough is always exciting and kneading dough (sinking fingers into warm, soft dough that yields easily under my hands) is as therapeutic as it gets in my kitchen. But I was not in the need for therapy of that kind today. No, all I wanted this morning was something scrumptious to satisfy my sweet tooth.

I thought of mixing up a batch of muffins but today didn't feel like that kind of a day. Brownies perhaps, yet after Valentine's Day, I'm swearing off chocolate for at least a week. I rummaged through my pantry a little longer and found my favorite pistachios (I buy mine at Trader Joe's, already shelled, unsalted and meaty, these are perfect for baking, although you'd be surprised how delicious they are stirred into a bowl of oatmeal); wild, dried blueberries (oh, so good, plump and sweet); and some chopped almonds, left over from yesterday's salad. What to bake, then...

Something quick and easy. So I started by creaming butter and brown sugar together in a bowl. Easy enough, I was thinking while I decided what to bake. This could be the base for a butter cake, or a batch of cookies, or blondies. I opted to make some bars with them and stirred in a couple of eggs, flour, a touch of baking soda and a pinch of salt. Then I stirred in the goodies that inspired me in the first place. Read on below for the recipe.

The results? Exactly what I wanted. Not too sweet, these are a great partner to a cup of coffee. My tasters today were happy with them too and reports all around were that they were nutty and fruity to boot (just what I wanted). Try them and judge for yourselves. Oh, and if you want to experiment further, may I suggest a touch of nutmeg and a pinch of allspice in the mix. I'll try that next time. For now, I'm sharing this simple, albeit delicious, experiment with you. And please, make yourselves a really good cup of coffee (my favorite is Guatemalan coffee from the highlands of Huehuetenango or Antigua). Then stop whatever you're doing for a few minutes and take a break from life. Close your eyes, let the aroma of the coffee take you away for a moment, and then, and only then, take a bite of these bars....there...therapy for the body, one bite at a time. Life will still be there when you are done eating these. Only you will feel a lot better than you did before.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 13 by 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray. In a mixer, place butter, brown sugar and vanilla; mix at low speed for 1 minute, scrape the sides of the bowl and beat again for 2 minutes are medium speed, until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Add the eggs, one at a time to the butter mixture (make sure the first egg has been absorbed before adding the next one) and beat mixture for 2 minutes, stopping mid-way to scrape sides of the bowl. Turn mixer to lowest speed and add half of the flour; scrape down sides of bowl and add the rest of the flour. Remove bowl from mixer and stir in pistachios, almonds and berries with a rubber spatula. Turn batter into the prepared baking pan and spread batter well so it's uniformely distributed on the pan. Bake bars for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (I use the finger test, where I touch the center of the bars and if they bounce back at the touch, they are ready). Bars will appear golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and set over a cooling rack. Cool completely before cutting them into desired sizes. Makes anywhere from 12 giant to 24 small bars.

Welcome

Sandra A. Gutierrez is a nationally recognized food personality, cookbook author, freelance food writer, and cooking instructor. Her articles and recipes have been published in newspapers and magazines around the world. To find out more click here.

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